Coffee Beans
by Chikusan
Summary: Time slip AU fic. Jaehee, Jumin's personal and most trusted eunuch, discovers the blessed beverage that is coffee.


**A/N:** MC's use of 'milae' means 'the future'. The other characters assume it is a foreign country.

* * *

"What is this?"

"My lord, they called it ' _koh-fee beens_ ," the man, who was locked in a deep bow so that he wouldn't have to look at the young prince's eyes, pronounced each syllable tentatively.

A girl with long brown hair furrowed her eyebrows at the familiar word. She was seated on the side, under the stage the throne sat upon, surrounded by books and scrolls of what appeared to be basic hanja, traditional Chinese characters. "… Do you mean coffee beans?" she confirmed quizzically.

The messenger sighed with clear relief laced in his tone, he was glad that there was somebody that understood him. He was afraid that they thought he would be speaking nonsense, and have him executed. The Kingdom of Han was a prosperous country, yes, but the palace life was strict and wrought with danger. "Yes, what the lady said."

Prince Jumin and Jaehee the eunuch exchanged questionable glances, unsure of what to make of this new predicament. It appeared that a foreign ship had docked and left their ports, and in exchange for precious Han kingdom silk, swapped three bags full of little brown pellets that had a strong aroma. The bags were now presented before the young prince, torn open to reveal the product within, scent wafting through the throne room.

"MC, you know about these… 'ko-fee beens'?" Jumin asked. He was no longer so suspicious about this newcomer who was completely illiterate, and instead regarded her with curiosity - for some odd reason she was one of the only people who could surprise him with strange knowledge and insight on the world beyond the Kingdom of Han. Truly a maiden of 'Milae' indeed. He often wondered where on earth such a country was.

The girl nodded, looking up from the hanja scrolls. "They're really common in the milae."

Now, Prince Jumin had been quite pampered, but he was an independent man who knew he could not always rely on his father. No, he had to prove himself, as the heir to the Phoenix Throne. Unfortunately as a prince, he had no idea about anything from the lower class - that was what common meant, right? Common. Commoner's. Peasant produce. But these pellets certainly weren't native to the Kingdom of Han.

After a bit of thought, Prince Jumin concluded the impromptu meeting with a task. "Common? I see. Well, eunuch, research about these… exotic 'ko-fee beens'. We must calculate their value here in the kingdom. If they prove to be useful, it would be beneficial to distribute these to whatever stores require them."

"Yes, my lord." Came the reply, quiet and respectful. But MC could hear the 'oh god another project' sigh in her voice.

MC had deep respect for Jaehee. Not only did she have to pretend to be a man but she was, out of all people, Jumin's eunuch. Everyone except the prince himself agrees that she's always overworked. Sometimes MC visited the eunuch's room, where she would find her not even getting a good day's worth of rest but surrounded by work, and help her apply makeup to cover those eyebags that sagged under her tired lids.

Though she had her own studies to worry about - there was no way she was going to survive in the palace without at least knowing how to read hanja - she resolved to help Jaehee with this newfound task.

* * *

"The coffee bean is the seed of the coffee plant, it's actually the pit of a fruit that can be red or purple… two of the most common types are the arabica and the robusta, but I'm not sure which one the merchant gave us… Jaehee, are you listening?" MC looked up at the eunuch, who seemed to be glowing with thirst for knowledge. With just the two of them alone, Jaehee didn't need to hide herself anymore. Her hat sat on the floor, and she had undone her bun, long hair flowing all around her, spilling from her shoulders.

"This.. is quite interesting. I am astonished that such a product exists. And you say that this 'coffee bean' produces a beverage called 'coffee'?"

Her eyes were shining, leaning ever so close towards the MC. They were seated at a low table, surrounded by books that the eunuch had gathered from the library, especially books from foreign lands, in hopes of finding the origin of - or any information of - the beans. "And this beverage gives the drinker energy? Is it similar to the ginseng elixers we have in the capital?"

MC chuckled to herself, "Well, yes. But it doesn't taste as disgusting."

"I would like to try this coffee. Do you know how to make it?"

"Eh?" MC was caught by surprise. Most people should know how to make coffee, but she always forgot that she was stuck in a place far away from home - not only in location but in time. In a world of instant coffee, MC wasn't quite sure how to actually brew a cup, but… "I can try." She took hold of Jaehee's hands. They were rough, not the hands of a lady, because she always spent her days writing nonstop for Jumin as she worked. In another world, perhaps these hands would have been soft and delicate. "Would… you like to help me?"

"I would love to, Lady MC."

Though MC wouldn't say that their bean roasting and the resulting cup of coffee was the best, it was like magic to Jaehee and the women who were watching in the kitchen. Jaehee scooped a spoonful from the bowl the aromatic liquid sat in, blew on it lightly, before tasting this magical substance. The crowd that had gathered seemed to hold their breath, waiting for judgement. What did it taste like?

Jaehee began to cough, overwhelmed by the strong taste, and for a second MC's heart jumped into her mouth - but when the eunuch managed to smile through her watery eyes, MC began to wonder what other modern things she could bring into this world to bring such joy into the Kingdom of Han.

* * *

Soon, this rough concoction began to spread throughout the palace staff. It was nowhere near what the people from the 21st century would call coffee, but it was something new and something mysterious and exotic. They didn't have it by the cup full, they usually brewed one bowl and tasted it little by little with a spoon, passing it to the next person. The maids loved it, they said they felt energy burn through their very bones, surge through their bodies. Jaehee enjoyed it the most, especially when she could share one with MC. The latter had never seen a bigger smile on the eunuch's face when she first learnt how to brew a cup herself.

"You seem to be in a good mood, what happened?" Jaehee, on her daily errands, had bumped into the general of the Kingdom of Han; Seven. An enigmatic youth with bright red hair that was highly unusual, he had been strolling around the palace with a fan in hand. While most fans had poems written on it, or fantastical paintings of the Han kingdom scenery, Seven's had strange strings of shapes on it. Seven called it numbers of a foreign land, but everyone else only saw circles and lines. 0 and 1.

"Oh, Seven. Apologies for not seeing you - I was just tidying up after myself… I have been writing a lot on this coffee product." There was a gleam in her eye, "You should try some."

"Coffee isn't my thing," Seven hummed. "I much prefer something else, maybe next time?"

The eunuch tilted her head with confusion. "You mean there is something even better than coffee?"

"Uh.. maybe, subjective opinions, you know. I best be off, hurry along now."

"… I see, very well. May we meet again." The eunuch bowed before continuing her way, disappearing down the many halls that lined the palace, wooden panels polished to perfection, enough that one could see their own reflection if they just looked down.

The general's eyes narrowed knowingly, how could Jaehee have discovered how to brew coffee? It hadn't been long since they had received the raw product. He laughed to himself. It had to be MC. It was good that she was making life here more exciting but… Seven's grip on the fan tightened - this was just another sign that the MC didn't belong here. He had to hurry to find a way to send her back, back to the time that has yet to come.

* * *

"Did you hear?" whispers echoed through the halls, maidens with their heads close murmured to each other quietly, news from the capital travelling past palace walls. It had been some time since coffee was brought to the Kingdom of Han, and after the excitement had died down considerably, Jaehee had been considering bringing her research to the prince. The weeks she had spent pouring over books and talking about coffee with MC had been exciting, no doubt better than reading scrolls about horses. She was sick of horses. Horses this, horses that, why was the prince so obsessed with horses?

So she was surprised when she caught wind of a rumor that she heard while she was out. The rumor that coffee was in a fact a poison. Out of fear, those who knew within the staff threw the remainder of the beans into the storage room, never to be touched again.

"No!" MC shook her head at the question Jaehee had asked. The eunuch had burst into her room, frightening the lady within, spilling ink all over the paper she had been practicing her characters on. Desperately, she tried to save her work, but Jaehee paid no heed to MC's frantic movements. "Coffee isn't poisonous! A- At least I don't think it is-"

But what if it was? She only knew about instant coffee and the basics. The 'common' beans in the modern era. What if… this was a new type of coffee bean? She was clearly in the past, or a world reminiscent of the past. MC had just assumed that it would be safe to drink just like the coffee in her world. But what if it wasn't? What if it was poisonous? "I- I don't know, Jaehee…"

A billion thoughts sprouted in Jaehee's mind. What if she poisoned half the staff? What if she killed someone? Oh god, what if she had served it to the prince and poisoned him? She would be executed by the Emperor! No, no. There was no way that this heaven graced beverage was poisonous. She had never felt more alive. The staff had never been so energized - they even managed to complete their work on time. The rumors claimed that it was a slow acting poison, it would take weeks for them to 'die'. What was the date? They drank they last spoon of coffee several weeks ago - if they were to die from this poison, it would be the following Sunday. Yes, she had until then to discover the truth. If it was indeed a lethal substance… she will find the antidote as well.

* * *

"You are to cease this research about 'ko-fee beens'," the prince glowered at the eunuch. "It is too dangerous for our people, better to keep them safe, I will not introduce poison into society."

"But my lord! You will render all of my work useless with… just a baseless rumor?"

"A 'baseless rumor' that if proven true, will result in deadly consequences." He was the heir to the throne, he wasn't going to let something so disastrous happen. Jumin was the voice that will soon guide the people, bad impressions would be costly. "If anything happens on Sunday, I will ensure that you will just be removed from your position, not executed."

"But-"

"No objections. Continue your books about horses until then, there are still many breeds to explore. I want a whole bestiary done on this magnificent creature."

"…"

* * *

"I'm sorry, Jaehee… this is my fault." Seated around a table, a worried and concerned MC sat with the crestfallen Jaehee, arms wrapped around the eunuch hoping to comfort her. Zen was on the eunuch's other side, patting her back awkwardly, as if he didn't know what to do in this situation. Seven sat across from them, fanning himself as usual, procrastinating from his daily work. "I was the one who suggested-"

"No, MC, it was my fault. So it is true. Curiosity did kill the cat."

"But it really isn't poisonous!"

"I believe you, but the prince doesn't."

"Well, Jumin has never been the type to take risks when it comes to the people," Seven piped.

Zen had been so angry with the prince earlier, he threatened to strangle him, needing to be convinced by the others that this would be a horrible idea that could cost the actor his life. "Stupid uppity prince, not only did he overwork you to the bone, now he thinks he can just throw all that work away? My god, doesn't he know how hard you work, Jaehee?" he huffed. "Just because he heard something that might not even be true."

"No, I understand my lord. He is just concerned for the people," Jaehee sighed. Even till the end, she was loyal to the one she served.

"Don't defend him, have some self-respect, Jaehee-"

"Now, now, don't yell! People are gonna come into my room and I don't like that-" Seven's room was littered with junk, normal people would want their room to be clean, but Seven was less than normal.

MC drew Jaehee closer to her, taking her hands and squeezing them. The eunuch was shaking, and MC's heart sunk with guilt and sadness. She shouldn't have indulged her about the subject of coffee. This was her fault. "Does… anyone have any ideas on what to do?"

"Research about coffee, of course. We should find out of it's actually poisonous."

MC shook her head. "But Seven, Jaehee isn't allowed to continue her research, Jumin told her to work on some horse bestiary."

Seven's lips curled up into a mischievous smile.

"Jaehee, you continue with the coffee. Let me write the bestiary, I know plenty about horses."

* * *

Friday came. The horse bestiary project had to be presented to show its progress. Half of it had been done in Jaehee's meticulous handwriting, filled to the brim with statistical information, pictures of horse anatomy and whatnot. The rest of it up to the point it was currently at… was done by Seven. Of course, Jumin wasn't aware of this.

A cup of tea at his side with an arrangement of sweet biscuits, he settled himself down before he began his daily reading of the bestiary. He enjoyed this very much, and didn't mind reading it from the start, memorising each and every fact that was listed and written with care. Today, however, he decided to start with the new content.

As he flipped open the book, he was greeted with a magnificent drawing of a prancing horse with a horn on its head, mane flowing in an unseen air. The papers found themselves splattered with tea, an uncouth reaction from the prince that he hoped no one saw or heard.

"JAEHEE!"

* * *

And so, the eunuch found herself without a job. Dismissed from her permission by an angry Jumin, she wandered her way into MC's room, fell to the floor and curled up on the mats.

"It's not that bad," MC comforted the woman, whose eyes were wide with shock, unable to speak. "You have the time to earn some proper rest now, right? Let's see it as a blessing."

"You can come and work for me if you want, Jaehee," Zen offered with a charming smile. "The theater always needs more staff."

"What about tutoring me?" Yoosung piped up, trying his best to comfort the once-eunuch, though there was not much the youngster could offer. "I'll pay you."

"Uh… I am not sure what to say… but you are a very talented woman, there will always be a place for people like you," said V.

At least for that night, Jaehee slept well, realising that now she had freedom. Free from the tight schedules, the sleepless nights, the workload. Ahh, all gone.

As Sunday rolled past, there were noticeably no bodies to collect. The staff continued on their daily tasks, some even surprised that they were still alive. It became increasingly obvious that the rumor was in fact, false.

Without an eunuch, the workload for the prince was piled high, his table turning into a forest of books, papers and scrolls. The more he worked, the more he seemed to become frustrated and angry, when finally…

"… May we call Jaehee back as my personal eunuch? I am afraid this is too much work for me to handle myself."

"But my lord, you dismissed him already-"

"But I am the prince, so hire him back!"


End file.
